Bailing Hu Order Characters: Clans & Guest Spellcasters

Bailing Hu Stronghold: Dominion over darkness in the icy spray of the gray sea.
On a harsh, rocky coastline, where cold waves endlessly crash against the foot of the city of Bailing, rises the eponymous citadel. Dark Tide Citadel is a colossal fortress of rough gray stone, salted by the sea winds. Here, amidst perpetual dampness and piercing cold, beats the heart of the Order and houses its Supreme Clan.
An atmosphere of Fortitude and Severity reigns here.
The walls of the Citadel are always damp with fog, and an icy draft wafts through the halls, bringing the scent of salt and seaweed from the deep sea. But the cold of the stone is nothing compared to the inner cold that the spellcasters of Bailing Hu carry within them. Architecture: Massive bastions, narrow loopholes and tall watchtowers from which spellcasters watch the horizon where the sea merges with the abyss.
Dark Weapon Magic: Balance on the Brink
The clan’s greatest secret and burden is the art of dark weapon casting. Unlike others, the Bailing Hu masters do not banish darkness, but tame it, forcing it to serve the light.
Key Halls and Shrines:
Hall of Supreme Court (Hall of Subordination): A grand chamber where the Head of the Order receives reports from the Heads of subordinate clans. Here the fate of lands is decided and sentences are passed on those who have violated the Code of the Order.
Observatory of Shadow Surveillance: A magical tower that allows Bailing Hu spellcasters to see surges of dark energy for hundreds of li around. It is here that orders are issued to mobilize forces against the creatures of the abyss.
Garden of Silent Vows: The place where every invited spellcaster and adept swears allegiance to the Head of the Order.
The Dark Forges: The Bailing Hu are the only ones in the Celestial World to wield dark weapons for spellcasting. During the forging process, a demon is summoned and sealed within the steel. This creates an unbreakable, soul-binding link between the practitioner and the blade.
Fortress of Damned Souls: A hidden underground necropolis located in the outskirts of Bailing. Concealed by powerful magic from all other Shanlu spellcasters, this subterranean palace contains hundreds of tombs. It bears its grim name because members of the Bailing Hu clan most often perish at the hands of their own weapons, their souls forever tied to the darkness they once commanded.
Curse and Control: Each spellcaster of the clan is bound to their weapon by a dangerous bond. They draw power from the blade’s darkness, but are forced to maintain absolute, steely self-control at all times. The slightest weakness of will, and the weapon’s darkness will consume its wielder.
Order Command Center
Despite the dark nature of their power, the Bailing Hu Clan remains the supreme arbiter. In the gray halls of the Citadel, harsh but necessary decisions are made. Here the Head of the Order receives his vassals, reminding them that order in the Celestial World rests on those who are willing to touch the abyss without becoming part of it. The Dark Tide Citadel is the guarantor of order: as long as its lights burn, chaos will not pass.
Magic Traits: Art of Suppression
Blue Flame and Ice Element: Officially, the clan’s magic draws its power from the northern elements. Their strikes are heavy, and their techniques are aimed at “freezing” the enemy’s will.
Secret of Dark Steel: The true nature of their power is the subjugation of darkness through weapons. Their blades are revered as sacred artifacts, and the impeccable self-control of their practitioners appears to outsiders as the highest manifestation of spiritual purity.
Clan Life: Law and Silence
Supreme Arbiters: Decisions determining the fate of all subordinate clans are made in the Dark Tide Citadel. Bailing Hu spellcasters are laconic and stern; they prefer to act quickly and decisively.
The Burden of the Head: The clan leader bears the responsibility for the stability of the entire Order, concealing behind a mask of calm the constant struggle to preserve the secrecy of their clan. Appearance: Deep Sea Color
The spellcasters of the Bailing Hu Clan wear deep blue hanfu, symbolizing the depth of the ocean and the clarity of the cold sky. Paired with jewelry and heavy cloaks, their appearance inspires awe and respect in all who enter the city of Bailing.